Slim Calm Sexy Yoga: 210 Proven Yoga Moves for Mind/Body Bliss

leg extension on the other side.
      Corpse

    After resting in corpse for 10 breaths, carefully bend your knees to your chest and roll over onto your right side. Rest here for 5 long, deep inhales and exhales, then gently bring yourself up to sit.
      Seated Meditation

    Close your eyes and follow your breath. Stay here for 3 minutes.
    BUILDING AWARENESS
    I was introduced to the formal practice of yoga in my teens, when vibrancy and aging were the last things on my mind. I delved more into the philosophy and meditative practices of yoga and didn’t become interested in the physical advantages of the practice until a few years later, when my friends were worried about puffy eyes from partying all night.
    My practice, for the most part, kept me out of the party scene (although I did have a little fun here and there). Clubs are filled with smoke, alcohol, and drugs that poison your body, and no one who keeps up that lifestyle looks or feels good for long. Life is more interesting when you’re putting your efforts toward your interests and surrounding yourself with quality people. Yoga practice has a way of moving you away from destructive behaviors and optimizing how you use your time and life.
    Eventually I realized that meditation, physical movement, and philosophy are not just interconnected; they’re the same. A healthy mind and body are efficient tools for meditation, and every movement can be meditative. Yoga isn’t a practice meant to take you out of your body. It is a practice to put you in touch with your body so you can experience life fully. By connecting you directly with everything you need to be healthy, yoga leaves you feeling good and looking gorgeous. There’s nothing superficial about it. Your whole body will thank you.

YOGA INTERVENTION

Verena Von Pfetten
THE ISSUE: LOW ENERGY LEVELS AND BAD SKIN
    To get the most out of yoga, your body needs to be ready. “I discovered that the football-size Chipotle burrito that tasted so good at lunch did not taste so good in down dog pose later on,” she says. Her yoga-friendly lunches now consist of healthier fare, like a salad with tons of good veggies.
    As a busy Web site editor, 27-year-old Verena has a schedule full of deadlines, social obligations, and high-level stress—all of which combine to give her the (unwanted) gift of low energy and broken-out skin.
    Even though she knew exercise could help her deal with stress, Verena always hated working out. “I tried the gym, even a personal trainer, and couldn’t stick with it,” she says. But after she started at Strala in August of 2008, her attitude changed. “The classes are challenging, but they’re easier to stick with because we have fun,” she says.
    After a month or two of coming to class regularly, Verena noticed a visible change in the quality and tone of her skin. Her minor skin irritations and breakouts vanished, and her energy levels started to skyrocket. “Yoga makes me sleep like a baby,” she says. “So the bags under my eyes need less and less concealer.”
    Verena also credits her newfound devotion to the yoga lifestyle with helping her eat more healthily and make all-around better decisions that affect her health—and, by association, how she looks. “I like going to class so much, I started scheduling my social life around it,” she says. She goes to four or five classes a week, which leaves only one or two nights for social plans—which is a good thing: “I drink less, sleep more, and have a whole lot more time to myself.”
    IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY
    Verena is a great example of someone really understanding and achieving the benefits of yoga at a young age and making healthy lifestyle adjustments as a result. Why wait for your body to break down before you start to take care of it? Yoga can keep you looking good and feeling great your whole life, so it’s best to start as early as you can.

YOGA INTERVENTION

Verena Von Pfetten
THE ISSUE: LOW ENERGY LEVELS AND BAD SKIN
    To get the most out of yoga, your body needs to be ready. “I discovered that the football-size Chipotle burrito that tasted so good at lunch did not taste so good in down dog pose later on,” she says. Her yoga-friendly lunches now consist of healthier fare, like a salad with tons of good veggies.
    As a busy Web site editor, 27-year-old Verena has a schedule full of deadlines, social obligations, and high-level stress—all of which combine to give her the (unwanted) gift of low energy and